I have no further gone in this, than by To cope malicious censures; which ever, That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further For our best act. If we shall stand still, In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, We should take root here where we sit, or sit State statues only. K. Hen. Things done well, And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; Things done without example, in their issue Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent Of this commission? I believe not any. We must not rend our subjects from our laws, And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each? A trembling contribution! Why, we take From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber; And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd, The air will drink the sap. To every county, Where this is question'd, send our letters, with Free pardon to each man that has denied The force of this commission: Pray, look to't; I put it to your care. Wol. Let there be letters writ to every shire, commons Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd, SCENE.-The Presence-Chamber in York Place, To those which would not know them, and yet Hautboys. A small table under a state for the CARDINAL, a longer table for the guests. Enter at one door ANNE BULLEN, and divers Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen as guests; at another door enter SIR HENRY GUILDFord. Guild. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace Salutes ye all: This night he dedicates To fair content and you: none here, he hopes, In all this noble bevy, has brought with her One care abroad: he would have all as merry As first-good company, good wine, good welcome, Can make good people. O, my lord, you are tardy; Enter Lord Chamberlain, Lord SANDS, and Sir The very thought of this fair company Cham. You are young, Sir Harry Guildford. Sands. Sir Thomas Lovell, had the cardinal But half my lay-thoughts in him, some of these Should find a running banquet ere they rested, I think would better please them: By my life, They are a sweet society of fair ones. Hautboys. Enter Cardinal WOLSEY, attended; and takes his state. Wol. You are welcome, my fair guests; that noble lady, Or gentleman, that is not freely merry, [Drinks. Wol. I am beholden to you. My lord Sands, A good digestion to you all: and, once more, I shower a welcome on you;-Welcome all. Hautboys. Enter the KING, and twelve others, as maskers, habited like shepherds, with sixteen torchbearers; ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the CARDINAL, and gracefully salute him. A noble company! what are their pleasures ? ` Cham. Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd To tell your grace;-That, having heard by fame This night to meet here, they could do no less, Crave leave to view these ladies, and entreat Say, lord chamberlain, They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay them A thousand thanks, and pray them take their pleasures. ACT II. •SCENE.-Antechamber in King HENRY'S Palace. | Between us and the emperor, the queen's great Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK. Nor. Well met, my lord chamberlain. Cham. Good day to both your graces. Suf. How is the king employ'd? I left him private, Has crept too near his conscience. Nor. 'Tis so. This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal. That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune, Turns what he lists. The king will know him one day. Suf. Pray God he do! he'll never know himself else. Nor. How holily he works in all his business! And with what zeal! For now he has crack'd the league nephew, He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters 'Tis most true, This bold bad man. And free us from his slavery. And, with some other business, put the king him: My lord, you'll bear us company? Cham. SCENE.-A Hall in Blackfriars. As I saw it inclin'd. When was the hour, Or made it not mine too? Sir, call to mind That I have been your wife, in this obedience, Upwards of twenty years: If, in the course And process of this time, you can report, And prove it too, against mine honour aught, My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty Against your sacred person, in God's name, Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt Shut door upon me, and so give me up To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, sir, The king, your father, was reputed for A prince most prudent, of an excellent And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand, My father, King of Spain, was reckon❜d one Trumpets, sennet, and cornets. Enter two Vergers, The wisest prince, that there had reign'd by many with short silver wands; next them, two Scribes, A year before: It is not to be question'd in the habits of doctors; after them, the Arch-That they had gather'd a wise council to them bishop of CANTERBURY alone; after him, the Of every realm, that did debate this business, Bishops of LINCOLN, ELY, ROCHESTER, and SAINT ASAPH; next them, with some small dis- Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore I tance, follows a Gentleman bearing the purse, with Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may humbly the great seal, and a cardinal's hat; then two Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whose counsel Priests, bearing each a silver cross; then a Gentleman-Usher bare-headed, accompanied with a Your pleasure be fulfill'd! I will implore; if not, i' the name of God, Sergeant-at-Arms, bearing a silver mace; then You have here, lady, two Gentlemen, bearing two great silver pillars; (And of your choice) these reverend fathers; men after them, side by side, the two Cardinals WOLSEY Of singular integrity and learning, and CAMPEIUS; two Noblemen with the sword Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled and mace. [Then enter the KING and QUEEN, To plead your cause: It shall be therefore bootless and their Trains.] The KING takes place under the cloth of state; the two CARDINALS sit under That longer you desire the court; as well him as judges. The QUEEN takes place at some What is unsettled in the king. your own quiet, as to rectify distance from the KING. Scribe. Say, Henry king of England, come into Crier. Henry king of England, &c. Scribe. Say, Katherine queen of England, come Crier. Katherine queen of England, &c. [The QUEEN makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to the KING, and kneels at his feet; then speaks. Q. Kath. Sir, I desire you, do me right and And to bestow your pity on me: for I have been to you a true and humble wife, Ever in fear to kindle your dislike, Yea, subject to your countenance: glad, or sorry, For Wol. Cam. His grace Q. Kath. To you I speak. Wol. Q. Kath. Lord cardinal, Your pleasure, madam ? Sir, Where powers are your retainers; and your words, [She curtsies to the KING, and offers to depart. K. Hen. Call her again. Crier. Katharine, queen of England, come into the court. Grif. Madam, you are call'd back. Q. Kath. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way: When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help. [Exeunt QUEEN, GRIFFITH, and her other K. Hen. Go thy ways, Kate: That man i' the world who shall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted, For speaking false in that: Thou art, alone (If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,Obeying in commanding, and thy parts Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out), The queen of earthly queens:-She is noble born; And, like her true nobility, she has Carried herself towards me. ACT III. SCENE.-Palace at Bridewell. A Room in the Were tried by every tongue, every eye saw them, Queen's Apartment. The QUEEN and some of her Women, at work. Q. Kath. Take thy lute, wench; my soul grows sad with troubles : Sing, and disperse them if thou canst: leave working. SONG. Orpheus with his lute made trees, Bow themselves, when he did sing: There had made a lasting spring. Everything that heard him play, Even the billows of the sea, Hung their heads, and then lay. In sweet musie is such art: Killing care and grief of heart Wol. Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS. I would be all against the worst may happen. Into your private chamber, we shall give you Q. Kath. Envy and base opinion set against them, My lord of York,-out of his noble nature, His service and his counsel. Q. Kath. Your hopes and friends are infinite. Cam. Put your main cause into the king's pro The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady? Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey'd him? Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him? Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty To give up willingly that noble title Wol. Pray, hear me. Q. Kath. Would I had never trod this English earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! SCENE.-Antechamber to the King's Apartment. Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, the Duke of SUFFOLK, the Earl of SURREY, and the Lord Chamberlain. Sur. Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints, And force them with a constancy, the cardinal Cannot stand under them: if you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise But that you shall sustain more new disgraces, With these you bear already. I am joyful To meet the least occasion, that may give me Remembrance of my father-in-law, the duke, To be reveng'd on him. Suf. Which of the peers Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least Strangely neglected? when did he regard The stamp of nobleness in any person, Out of himself? Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures: Nor. Sur. Sir, I should be glad to hear such news as this Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows your Once every hour. hearts. Wol. Upon what cause, wrong you? alas! our places, Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues With these weak women's fears. A noble spirit, As yours was put into you, ever casts Such doubts, as false coin, from it. The king loves you; Beware you lose it not; For us, if you please To trust us in your business, we are ready To use our utmost studies in your service. Nor. Believe it, this is true; In the divorce, his contrary proceedings Are all unfolded; wherein he appears, As I would wish mine enemy. Sur. His practices to light? Suf. Sur. How came Most strangely. O, how, how? Suf. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscarried, And came to the eye o' the king: wherein was read, How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness To stay the judgment o' the divorce: For if It did take place, "I do," quoth he, "perceive, My king is tangled in affection to A creature of the queen's, Lady Anne Bullen." Sur. Has the king this? Suf. Sur. Cham. The king in this coasts, And hedges, his own way. Believe it. Will this work? perceives him, how he But in this point. Q. Kath. Do what ye will, my lords: And, pray, All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic |